Leon Goretzka appreciation thread

Bayern’s under appreciated star?

Michael Ballack > Bastien Schweinsteiger > Leon Goretzka

Seeing Leon’s name amongst such greats confuses some people, but should Goretzka be compared to such giants of FCBayern? I say yes, and this thread will hopefully help convince some doubters.

Leon Goretzka arrived from Schalke, on a free transfer in 2018. Bayern beat off competition from Liverpool and Arsenal, for the signature of (then) 22-year-old.

“I’m a big, big fan” Said Matthias Sammer, on Goretzkas signing. “He always had the potential. Now he’s truly

arrived”, continued Sammer.

In Goretzkas previous 5 seasons at Schalke, he only made it to 30 games in one of those years, during the 2016-17 season. In all competitions, Goretzka made 41 apps in this season, scoring 8 goals.

The previous season, the former Bochum man, was

diagnosed with an inflammatory bowel disease, which had given him an inability to recover from past injuries.

“I completely changed what I eat, as a result, I have fewer issues with my health and I can recover for a game much quicker”, said Goretzka

Fast forward to 2020, and

Leon Goretzkas renewed body development, developed under Covid restrictions. The quotation above from Goretzka suggests that he knows his body well, and is more aware of what he can and can’t do to it.

There was various accounts on FT suggesting steroid use, as an explanation

for Leon’s new body shape. This is a man who treats his body well, and would never abuse it.

“In the crucial games and moments, it is important to be physically and mentality in top shape. The muscle mass helps me in duels, makes me more agile and robust” Goretzka said of his

“new body”

Former teammate Jan Kirchhoff, was left impressed with Goretzka’s new look

“He gained a few pounds, but has not lost speed or agility”, said the former Bayern man.

Now let’s talk more about why this beast, deserves to be talked about in the same sentence

with Ballack and Schweinsteiger.

Since arrived at Bayern, Goretzka has chalked up 84 appearances, and scoring 19 goals. He averages at 2.41 on shot related chances created per 90mins. An improvement on his average of 1.86 in his 5 seasons at Schalke.

Since the 2016/17 season,

Goretzka has been deployed much further up the pitch, moving from DM, to a more CM/AM, to influence the play further up the field.

Niko Kovac deserves much praise for his deployment of Goretzka into a more of a playmaker during his experiments with the former Schalke man.

The match against Hoffenheim on the 18th January 2019, where Leon scored 2 goals, showed how effective he is when running from deep, making off the shoulder runs, whilst still dictating the pace of the attack.

An interesting fact; in his 3 seasons at Bayern, Goretzka’s shot creation action adds up to 122, nearly three time’s higher than his 41, in his 5 years at the Royal Blues

Goretzka is the box to box midfielder that Bayern have been crying out for, since the departure of Schweinsteiger in 2015.

Leon is already well over a third into Schweinsteiger’s goal tally of 57 goals in his 13 years for FCBayern.

A stunning return from Basti, from a DM.

Goretzka has 13 assists to his name at Bayern. His tally of 5 assists in the 19/20 season is his best in that category since his Bochum days in 2013, registering 5 assists in that season.

He still has a way to go to match Schweinsteiger in that regards. ‘Basti’s’ 74 assists

Is a stunning return for a deep lying midfielder.

Michael Ballack made a total of 38 assists in his 4 seasons, a modest return when you take into consideration he netted 57 goals, and playing further up field than Schweinsteiger.

Goretzka appears to be a perfect amalgamation of the two players, able to score almost as much as he can assist, his ability to bind defence with attack is not unlike Ballack and co.

“Leon slipped in through the back door, not exactly as a superstar, but he’s made the most

of the opportunity” said Niko Kovac of Goretzka back in 2019

It’s worth noting that it isn’t just for his club sides that Goretzka is performing for.

“He always delivers” Jogi Löw said of Goretzka, after he helped the Germany team lift the confederations cup back in 2017,

becoming the top scorer in the process.

“He has a very good technique, a lot of pace on and off the ball, he has a big personality that belies his age” continued Löw

“Our mentality is Bayern’s biggest strength”

One of my favourite Goretzka quotes. He is a player who has

knowledge far beyond his years, he knows what he has to do to achieve his goals, and is able to adapt and change to achieve them. He knows he belongs on the big stage, and this mentality will breed success with Bayern Munich, where you have to believe, or you won’t make it.

Goretzka’s partnership with Joshua Kimmich during the 2019/20 season has raised more than a few eyebrows in the footballing world. His role in the double pivot, perfectly complimenting Josh, has been seamless since Hansi Flick implemented the system. The system proved

So successful that Thiago, suddenly found himself no longer guaranteed a starting spot in the Bayern midfield. Whilst neither player can replace Thiago, their combined agility, footballing brain, and eye for goal, will see a new dawn for the Bayern midfield system.

Goretzka has come such a long way in such a short space of time, and whilst he has still a long way to go, to be considered a true legend, with the likes of Ballack and Schweini. I think we can surely agree, that he has all the makings of a Bayern star.

Goretzka is part of the new Bayern project, players like Kimmich, Gnabry, Sane and Davies. With players like these, Bayern look well set to be around the forefront of Europe for years to come.

Leon Goretzka, an advanced playmaker, very much of the modern school.